Chapter 20
Carotenoids in Aviculture
Peter F. Surai and Ivan I. Kochish
Abstract Carotenoids are the most numerous and widespread group of pigments
in nature. Today, the carotenoid family is known to include more than 1100 natural
compounds. Carotenoids play important roles in aviculture, including egg yolk and
skin pigmentation as well as supplements to improve breeder performance. Only
xanthophylls with high efficacy of transfer from the feed to the egg yolk found their
way on the commercial poultry feed market. In fact, in commercial egg production desired egg yolk colour intensity is achieved by using a combination of various
(usually, yellow and red) dietary carotenoids. Furthermore, canthaxanthin is proven
to be an effective feed additive for poultry breeder nutrition. Among many important biological functions of carotenoids, there participation in building an effective
antioxidant defence network could be of vital importance. Indeed, biological value
of direct AO activity of carotenoids associated with scavenging ROS is probably
not very high. It seems likely that indirect effects of carotenoids on the antioxidant
defences via upregulation of Nrf2 and downregulation of NF-κB are a driving force
of their beneficial effect in avian species in general and in poultry production in
particular. Carotenoid protective effects in chicken/avian embryonic development
deserve more attention and warrant further investigation.
P. F. Surai (B)
Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia
University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
e-mail: psurai@feedfood.co.uk
P. F. Surai · I. I. Kochish
Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K. I. Skryabin,
109472 Moscow, Russia
P. F. Surai
Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Szent
Istvan University, Gödöllo 2103, Hungary
Department of Veterinary Expertise and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sumy
National Agrarian University, Sumy 40021, Ukraine
Odessa National Academy of Food Technology, Odessa 65039, Ukraine
P. F. Surai · I. I. Kochish
Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Pigments from Microalgae Handbook,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50971-2_20
515
Carotenoids in Aviculture
Peter F. Surai and Ivan I. Kochish
Abstract Carotenoids are the most numerous and widespread group of pigments
in nature. Today, the carotenoid family is known to include more than 1100 natural
compounds. Carotenoids play important roles in aviculture, including egg yolk and
skin pigmentation as well as supplements to improve breeder performance. Only
xanthophylls with high efficacy of transfer from the feed to the egg yolk found their
way on the commercial poultry feed market. In fact, in commercial egg production desired egg yolk colour intensity is achieved by using a combination of various
(usually, yellow and red) dietary carotenoids. Furthermore, canthaxanthin is proven
to be an effective feed additive for poultry breeder nutrition. Among many important biological functions of carotenoids, there participation in building an effective
antioxidant defence network could be of vital importance. Indeed, biological value
of direct AO activity of carotenoids associated with scavenging ROS is probably
not very high. It seems likely that indirect effects of carotenoids on the antioxidant
defences via upregulation of Nrf2 and downregulation of NF-κB are a driving force
of their beneficial effect in avian species in general and in poultry production in
particular. Carotenoid protective effects in chicken/avian embryonic development
deserve more attention and warrant further investigation.
P. F. Surai (B)
Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia
University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
e-mail: psurai@feedfood.co.uk
P. F. Surai · I. I. Kochish
Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K. I. Skryabin,
109472 Moscow, Russia
P. F. Surai
Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Szent
Istvan University, Gödöllo 2103, Hungary
Department of Veterinary Expertise and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sumy
National Agrarian University, Sumy 40021, Ukraine
Odessa National Academy of Food Technology, Odessa 65039, Ukraine
P. F. Surai · I. I. Kochish
Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
E. Jacob-Lopes et al. (eds.), Pigments from Microalgae Handbook,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50971-2_20
515